The term “metaverse” was coined in a 1993 science fiction novel. Since then, it’s grown from a dystopian literary concept to a reality that corporations want to sell you. Strap on some VR goggles and escape your tired analog life! Except that the systemic issues we already have seem to be creeping into the metaverse, too.
As the lines between virtuality and ... Show More
Today
Daisy Fancourt, "Art Cure: The Science of How the Arts Save Lives" (Cornerstone Press, 2026)
Is culture good for you? In Art Cure: The Science of How the Arts Save Lives (Cornerstone Press, 2026) Daisy Fancourt, a Professor of Psychobiology & Epidemiology and head of the Social Biobehavioural Research Group at University College London offers a comprehensive and compelli ... Show More
27m 17s
Yesterday
Michelle Henning, "A Dirty History of Photography: Chemistry, Fog, and Empire" (U Chicago Press, 2026)
In A Dirty History of Photography: Chemistry, Fog, and Empire (U Chicago Press, 2026), Professor Michelle Henning presents an environmental history of chemical photography through the lens of its deep connections to empire and industry. Dependent on the extractive practices of fo ... Show More
57m 21s
Jan 20
Robert Dorschel, "The Social Codes of Tech Workers: Class Identity in Digital Capitalism" (MIT Press, 2025)
Who are the people staffing the digital economy? In The Social Codes of Tech Workers: Class Identity in Digital Capitalism (MIT Press, 2025) Robert Dorschel an Assistant Professor in Digital Sociology at the University of Cambridge, explores an occupation that has emerged as cen ... Show More
40m 31s
Nov 2022
EXPLORING VIRTUAL WORLDS WITH THE SANDBOX’S SEBASTIEN BORGET
<p>In this episode, we talk with Sebastien Borget co-founder of The Sandbox; one of the most popular virtual worlds in the Metaverse.</p><p>These days, virtual worlds are more than just people playing games. Imagine a virtual world with land, assets, buildings, events and fashion ... Show More
37m 52s
Jul 2022
Matthew Ball - A Manual to The Metaverse - [Invest Like the Best, EP.286]
My guest today is Matthew Ball. Matt is an investor, the former head of strategy at Amazon studios, and one of the brightest minds in the media industry. Through his essays and now his book, which launches today, Matt has established himself as the foremost authority on the Metav ... Show More
1h 22m
May 2022
Live … from the metaverse!
Suddenly it feels like everyone is talking about the metaverse, doesn’t it? But what exactly is the metaverse? Wikipedia describes it as “a network of 3D virtual worlds focused on social connection,” but the only real consensus seems to be that it’s going to be, well, huge. Googl ... Show More
27m 49s
Dec 2021
Meditations on the Metaverse
On the 28th of October, 2021, Facebook announced The Future…aka, a corporate rebrand. By changing the name of their parent company to Meta, they set out a vision for a new internet. Here, you can meet your colleagues in a virtual meeting room, and/or fence with Mark Zuckerberg. I ... Show More
24m 20s